Philpster

Exactly what IVRUS has said. Don't worry. You are chosing a hard profession, the fact you are worried shows you care, you will qualify, become a nurse with responsibilities and take each day as it comes. You will reflect daily on what you could do better / differently and this is all part of your learning curve. Oncology is a tough area, I personally LOVE the patient continuity, they come in for their chemo, you play a proactive part in symptom management, they go home then come back. Some will have an increased quality of life, some will pass away. Palliative care is a wonderful area to work in - it's common sense nursing, are going to turn a pt every 4hrs to stop them getting a pressure ulcer? - not neccesarily, you will be moving them - sometimes after subcut morphine - to ensure they are comfortable. Reassuring relatives is critical at this time. How you will react when you first face a death may surprise you. You can still talk to the pt and tell them what you are doing. Respect and dignity does not end when the heart stops. The body is literally the shell. Nursing is a tough profession on it's own without you sending yourself into a nervous breakdown. Take each day as it comes never be afraid to take a breather, be safe, be conscientious and you will be fine. It's the ones who 'know it all' that need to stay away from patients! After a while it will become easier, I promise then you can pass on your knowledge tontje next bunch of fools who choose this mad profession! Which I of course say in jest! We all want to 'make a difference' - sometimes holding a hand or smiling can be just that.... Good luck

Exactly as Skyler says - DNR is simply if they were to be found unresponsive and having MI you wouldnt be jumping up and down on their chest. In the UK we used to have 'NFE' which meant not for escalation- but it then becomes a grey area and most Drs I would guess would want to be seen to be actively doing 'something' - however if the pt is palliative then appropriate care plans (not sure if you guys use Liverpool care pathway) should be in situ. DNR is just in the event of CPR.

Mixed bag of comments here, but it is hard as a student, there are nurses who find students just 'extra work' but this is their issue and not the student - some of the times! If you hold little interest where you are and struggle then you may come across as unwilling - and I have met my fair share of those students. Enjoy the 'no responsibility' because when you qualify and start your first day on the ward you are on your own - literally. That 'I'm just a student' gets replaced with Nurse and patients don't know if you are newly qualified or twenty years under your belt. Get as much as you can from each learning opportunity, put yourself forward, request to go and watch procedures etc and utilise your opportunity to really consolidate your theory. I HATED being called 'the student' - it's something I never do myself - everyone has a name...use it. I utilise students on our wards - teaching them how to do dressings, I had to teach a student today how to put on a pair of sterile gloves as noone had taught her - everyone starts somewhere. I think the best mentors are nurses who don't mind being challenged and have excellent communication skills. It's sooo frustrating as a student if you ask an experienced nurse why they do what they do - and they reply 'I've always done it like that' - but why - 'i just have...' Enjoy your student days, some nurses will treat you like shite, others remember the hell they went through and wouldn't dream of subjecting you to it - but put yourself out there - harass everyone as get out of your practical what YOU want. And enjoy it. Time goes too fast then before you know it you are a terrified newly qualified who feels clueless. We have ALL been there! ;-)

Oh god I have had flashbacks of colleagues at Uni - the newly qualified who knows it all. A scary and damn dangerous creature! Ok first piece of advice - don't even worry about her, you are responsible for your own practice, do your job to the BEST of your ability, never compromise your standards, check drugs you are uncertain of - you should always do this, standing in a court of law and telling a judge 'pharmacology' isn't your 'thing' will do nothing but lengthen your sentence for negligence! Let her make her own mistakes and if you find her doing something or about to do something stupid - whistleblow. Simple. Nursing is a life long learning career, not one nurse knows everything - if they otherwise they are lying. The best nurses are the ones that think 'hmm I didn't know that, will research when I get home'. You sound conscientious and cautious - you will gain confdence over time but never be rushed and remember you worked hard for your registration - you aren't going to lose it and put a patient at risk. Best thing with know alls - ignore them. Split the workload and let her be responsible for her unfortunate patients. Keep your chin held high - you are doing well ;-)

Agree as above - simply it's all about conmunication, the one skill that will turn you from a mediocre nurse into a fabulous one. Being courteous and polite costs nothing. It also works to your advantage as people like to help if they feel their assistance is genuinely needed.